


Arrow Sparrows

by Tabbyluna



Category: Skylanders (Video Games)
Genre: Archery, Female Friendship, Gen, Intergenerational friendship, crossbows, loners, rwby reference
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:34:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26657473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabbyluna/pseuds/Tabbyluna
Summary: At first, Punk Shock wanted some time alone. But that day, she got a little surprise up in her usual hiding place.
Relationships: Punk Shock & Hijinx (Skylanders)
Kudos: 1





	Arrow Sparrows

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I'd been writing a lot of friendship stories lately. Don't know why.

_ Thwip _ , went one arrow.  _ Thwip _ , went another. The arrows shot through the air, and landed exactly on each of their targets. When they landed exactly on those painted-on red circles, a wave of electricity would erupt from the arrows, slightly charring the wood in the process. From above, perched on a branch, Punk Shock smirked at a job well done.

Target practice was fun. Always had been for her. And for the most part, she had always had the talent for it. Combined with the fact that she enjoyed doing it, her skill level shot up like a rocket when she was younger. Ever since she joined the Skylanders, her skills in that area had been rapidly improving still.

Eventually, she needed to come up with new ways to train herself, just for the challenge, as well as the satisfaction of accomplishing new feats. She started simple. Learning to shoot arrows while upside down. She hung from her knees on tree branches and trained herself to get used to the change of direction. Once she mastered that, she worked on shooting arrows while on a tightrope. She accomplished it by tying a thick rope across two trees in a forested island, and then setting up targets there. Punk Shock kept it up, inventing more and more new challenges for her to do. The more difficult, weird or challenging, the better.

For the most part, her favourite place to dream up new challenges was on top of the tallest tree in that same tiny forested island she did her stunts in. Up on that tree, she had a pretty good bird’s eye view of the whole place. And knowing her surroundings was the first step to being able to take advantage of it. It was also far away from most distractions. With nothing but cool air, white noise, and her thoughts, she found it remarkably easy to think.

But besides dreaming up new ways to challenge herself, the top of that tree was also great for just climbing up and thinking in.

She got to know a lot of her colleagues through going on missions with them. From her conversations with them, she learned that most Skylanders joined at least partially because they simply did not fit in with the people of their tribes and hometowns. A significant number of these hometown misfits were also loners. And most had a special designated little area they would go to if they wanted some time to themselves to think. To some, it was their rooms. For others, it was a place like a chair at a library or a broom closet. And some, like her, took refuge in the great outdoors.

Punk Shock was not the type many expected to be a loner. Many have told her that in the past. They saw her, confident and proud, electric sense of humour, sharp witted and rebellious nature. And they all said they expect her to be more extroverted.

Honestly, maybe she would have turned out more extroverted. If only her life were a little more different. 

Someone - she can’t remember who - once theorised that most hometown misfits were loners specifically because they were misfits. When they came into the world, they did not fit in with others around them. And because others could not relate to them, and they could not relate to others, it led misfits to spend more time with themselves than with anyone else. That habit sticks with you for life. Even after a loner finds people they like to be around and relate to, there will always be that need to periodically spend hours by themselves, alone with no one and nothing but their thoughts.

In Punk Shock’s experience, that had always been true. She found a small place to call her own, one which she could be alone in. It was the tallest tree in the forest. Her very own spot to retreat to whenever she felt that urge to be alone.

At the present, she sat there shooting arrows into targets. No fancy tricks or stunts. Just some good, old-fashioned target shooting. Admittedly, it was quite relaxing. But somehow, she felt like that day was a little different from most days, and she was not quite sure why she got that feeling…

“Punk Shock?” Came a voice which was not her own. That came as a surprise for her. Out in the woods like that, she  _ never _ heard any voice other than her own. She looked around, searching for the source of the voice. And she found it on a tree branch on the other side of the tree.

Perched on the thick branch, a book opened halfway in hand, was Hijinx. “Uh, hi,” Punk Shock greeted her, “what are you doing here?” She was used to seeing the minis hang around each other, or paired up with their regular counterparts. Seeing them by themselves, in comparison, was a rare sight.

Hijinx closed the book, so that Punk Shock could finally see the cover. ‘The Adventures of Robin Hill and Her Happy Huntresses’, it read. So it was an adventure story for children. Cute.

“Just reading,” she answered. “It’s very relaxing up here, you know? No noises, no interruptions. I can just sit here for hours and finish my book.”

Punk Shock did not know much about any of the minis. But what she did know about Hijinx was that she was a mini of Hex, and it very much showed. She was a somber, quiet little girl. When not training, she could often see Hijinx by herself reading. And it was always a different book too. Sometimes a spellbook, other times a work of pulp fiction. The girl was an avid reader, and had a voracious appetite for books.

She nodded, agreeing with her in regards to the peace and quiet being high up provided. “How did you discover this place anyways?” She changed her sitting position, so that she could more comfortably face Hijinx while she talked. Spending so much time up in the trees had instilled within her a great sense of balance, and so switching positions while high above came as naturally to her as breathing.

“Hex had a mission here once. I followed her here, and I noticed that they had this huge tree up here. Then I thought it would be cool if I could read up here, so after that mission I came back to try it out.” She now sat cross-legged and faced Punk Shock. “So, I’d been coming here ever since. What about you?”

“Hmm,” Punk Shock nodded. Well, as long as Hijinx doesn’t disturb her, she supposed she could continue to share their tree. “I discovered this place during my first year with the Skylanders. Ever since then, whenever I needed a place to be alone with my thoughts, I’d come here.”

Hijinx nodded, and then returned to her book without another word. In turn, Punk Shock returned to her target practice. She knew she had scattered a few more targets around the forest. All she needed to do now was to look for them…

“What are you doing?” Asked Hijinx. Punk Shock looked up from her hunt, and faced her again. Wide eyes curious, neck craned to try and get a better look.

“Target practice,” she answered.

A moment of silence, then… “Can I try?”

“Hm?”

“Can I try to shoot some arrows? Please?” Hijinx grappled with the tree’s bark, as if she was trying to find something, anything, which would give her the necessary leverage to cross over to Punk Shock’s branch.

Punk Shock raised a brow. “You really want to try?”

Hijinx nodded. “Hex says that I really should try living in the moment sometimes, instead of living my life with my nose stuck in a book. So, I guess why not try something new?” She wobbled a little, then grabbed for the secure branch under her to steady herself.

Punk Shock extended her arm out to her. “Grab on,” she said. Hijinx gripped on, and in a couple seconds Punk Shock swung her over to her branch.

“Whoa!”

“Okay, now, come over here.” Punk Shock situated her on her lap carefully, maintaining balance. Soon, Hijinx found herself teetering on Punk Shock’s lap, but she wasn’t scared of falling at all despite her position.

“Now, loading a crossbow takes a bit of skill. And it’s better if I train you on how to do that on solid ground. Not everyone starts out able to do this.” She adjusted the string, and then slotted an arrow in place. “That here takes quite a bit of finesse.”

“It looks pretty easy though,” said Hijinx.

“That’s because I make it look easy. Starting out, you’re better off learning to load when you don’t also have to worry about falling.” She inspected her crossbow, turning it around. “Alright, now hold it like this.” She demonstrated.

Hijinx followed, and grasped it tightly in her little hands. Punk Shock held those hands, gently guiding them to the right place. “The only thing you have to worry about now is to aim, and shoot. Got it?”

“Mmhm!” Hijinx nodded. “I’ll aim over there.” She said, pointing at an unused target Punk Shock placed down earlier. Ah, so there’s one.

“Got it. On the count of three alright?”

“Okay!”

They counted down together, Hijinx carefully aiming at the target. “One… Two… Three!”

Hijinx completely missed. The arrow, instead of hitting the target, hit the tree right next to it. A wave of electricity still came out of the arrow, and it still ended up lightly charring the tree. It was mesmerising to see. Blue sparks travelling from the point the arrow landed to all parts of the big tree. To the roots poking out of the soil. To the leave at the very top of the tree.

The two of them could only sit there and watch it. And only after the wave of electricity stopped did either of them speak up again. “Shoot, I messed up.”

“Nah, all beginners suck at aiming. Don’t be too hard on yourself.” Punk Shock patted her shoulder, then moved her so that she sat next to her instead of on her lap. “Now, c’mon. It looks like it’s about to rain. Let’s get back to the Academy.” From above, the faint sound of thunder rumbled, and big grey clouds headed their way.

“Wait,” said Hijinx, “I need to get my book.”

It was still on the branch on the opposite side of the tree. Hijinx had opened the book and placed it down on the branch, so that the branch functioned as a sort of bookmark. It now teetered precariously there. Miraculously, it had not fallen off.

So Punk Shock once again stretched her arm out, and Hijinx hung onto it. When she stretched out her own shorter arm, she was just barely able to grab the book. But using a finger and a thumb, she managed. And once the book was successfully retrieved, they both climbed down the tree to head back to the Academy.

**Author's Note:**

> For fellow people of culture, yes the title is a Xiaolin Showdown reference. And the book Hijinx was reading was a RWBY reference. I really need to write something for it someday. Also, I really do miss the great outdoors. Someday I wanna climb trees...


End file.
